I love soundtracks. Bottom line, end of story, simple. I feel like a great soundtrack can make a good movie great. It can make a great movie legendary. Whatever you love, whatever your favorite genre, whatever you’re looking for, there’s a soundtrack for you.

Music has always been part of the movie experience, predating sound and dialogue. Pianists and sometimes full orchestras accompanied the silent films of the 1920s and 30s. As filmmakers added dialogue, music remained a critical part. Max Steiner composed the first completely original soundtrack for 1933’s King Kong. Fast forward to today, and music matters just as much in movies.

Before any conversation about soundtracks, I think it helps to group them. These are my definitions, not scientific ones. After all, this is just for fun.

Original Soundtracks. Collections of songs featured throughout the movie. Think Top Gun. Musicals. Often based on theater productions, but not always. These feature original or reworked songs tied to the theme or motif of the show. Think Grease. Original Film Scores. Complete originals composed specifically for the movie or series. Think Star Wars.

With history and definitions out of the way, let’s talk about the best. Any list is subjective, but I tried to put together lists of music for you to explore. Everyone knows the soundtracks I mentioned above are greats — but what about those lesser-known works of art? Music is best when shared, so here are my top five (in no order) favorite soundtracks from each category above.

Original Film Scores (the entire list could be John Williams works)

• Superman v. Batman: Dawn of Justice — This probably surprises you on any top five list, but the music is fantastic! Wonder Woman’s theme alone justifies the price of purchase. Dark and powerful melodies tie this movie — my favorite in the DC universe — together, and the film’s most powerful moments hit harder because of the great score Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL composed.
• Rocky II — People rarely call Rocky II the best in the series, but it’s absolutely my favorite. The music is a big reason. The film carries over several original songs from Rocky, but Bill Conti adds swelling originals in Redemption and the fight song Conquest. You’ll want to run through a brick wall after hearing it — though I don’t recommend it.
• The Pink Panther (1963) — Henry Mancini undoubtedly had a great musical career alongside his various orchestras, but the amazing Pink Panther theme will always define him. He originated it in this 1963 film, and the song became synonymous with both the movie character and the beloved cartoon. You’re hearing it in your head right now, aren’t you? You’re welcome. The theme overshadows the rest of the score, obviously, but you won’t be disappointed if you can find a copy.
• Empire Strikes Back — I know I said I was including lesser-known scores, but John Williams MUST appear on any score list at least once. While fans certainly know and appreciate the Star Wars score, Empire gives us some of the most unforgettable and recognizable music ever composed. The Imperial March? Han and Leia’s Theme? Yeah. John Williams is the undeniable greatest film composer of all time.
• How the West Was Won — Alfred Newman. What else can anyone say about this score other than the movie would suffer without it? A great score can make a great film even greater, right? Newman certainly proves this — his beautiful, reflective, and memorable work carries us through the entire adventure.

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Musicals (this is REALLY hard as I’m trying to stay away from jukebox musicals, my favorite)

• Grease — This doesn’t really require explanation, right? It’s Grease. From the Bee Gees to John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John to Frankie Avalon, Grease delivers banger after banger from beginning to end.
• Little Shop of Horrors — Funny, frightening, and somewhat unhinged. This soundtrack moves so seamlessly from soft openings to kick-you-in-the-teeth rockers (Feed Me!). Somehow it stays underrated given the movie’s popularity and the show’s continued run.
• The Rocky Horror Picture Show — Again, I know I said I was focusing on lesser-known stuff, but you just can’t make a list without this soundtrack. It’s just so…weird. The movie is just okay for me, but the music is amazing! If it’s on or someone offers me the chance to watch or listen, I can’t say no. Something magnetic in the music makes me want to stay. Damnit, Janet!
• Evita — I should acknowledge that I’m a Madonna superfan, so my opinion here is certainly biased. But this soundtrack is fantastic! The movie stinks, but where Madonna’s acting can be, um, suspect, her ability to bring her unique and powerful presence to a song is not. “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” got all the airplay, but it’s easy to forget that Antonio Banderas has pipes! His performance of “Oh What a Circus” is my personal favorite on an album full of great tunes.
• Camelot — At Rebel Replay, Camelot is a running joke — not because it’s bad, but because it’s everywhere! Every record store, thrift store, garage sale, personal collection, and basement tote has a copy on vinyl. Why? Because it sold so many copies! It’s one of the best-selling soundtracks of all time for a reason. Great music, fun movie — what more can you ask for?

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Movie Soundtracks (this is the hardest list I’ve ever made)

• La Bamba — Los Lobos, Bo Diddley, Brian Setzer? What could be more fantastic? New renditions of already amazing Richie Valens songs form the core of this soundtrack, with music recorded specifically for the movie. But the other songs make this one of the greats for me. Brian Setzer absolutely tears through “Summertime Blues” — a song everyone has covered, but not like this. The true crown? Bo Diddley reworking his own piece, “Who Do You Love.” Toms, guitar, and Bo Diddley’s signature howls take a classic and make it even better.
• Saturday Night Fever — Everyone knows this soundtrack, but very few appreciate it. “Stayin’ Alive” was the clear breakout hit, but spread across two discs, Saturday Night Fever packs some of the best disco ever pressed into grooves. Musical numbers and great songs blend together in a way you rarely see in movie soundtracks. Saturday Night Fever time-capsules a very specific moment in American pop culture, and as a listener, it’s easy to feel transported to a place and time many of us never experienced firsthand.
• Rocky IV — If you know me, you know I love Rocky. Rocky IV is a unique entry in the franchise — many people’s favorite, and for good reason. It’s fast-paced, light on thinkin’ parts, and gives us a GREAT villain in Dolph Lundgren’s Ivan Drago. But it also has fantastic music! Rocky IV is essentially a 90-minute montage (it was 1985, after all), and to pull that off, you need catchy tunes, dude! “Burning Heart,” “Heart’s on Fire,” the awesome “Livin’ in America” by James Brown, and my personal favorite, Robert Tepper’s “No Easy Way Out,” make this the perfect soundtrack to throw in your Walkman and go for a run — or just rock out in your car.
• Scott Pilgrim vs. The World — Amazing movie? Check. Amazing music? Check. Perfect casting? Check. Scott Pilgrim has it all, and the soundtrack is no different. Each song carries its own identity within a consistent sound. The awkward ballad “Ramona” may have you swaying in your seat, while “We Are Sex Bob-Omb” punches you in the face right away as the opening track. The soundtrack also features songs by T-Rex, Beck, and — strangely — The Rolling Stones, but its best offering is undoubtedly “Garbage Truck” by the film’s fictional band Sex Bob-Omb.
• Rock of Ages — I don’t have many consistencies in my life. One of them is Thomas Cruise. I love Tom Cruise. I don’t care that he’s weird. I don’t care about Scientology. I’m not looking to him for advice on pharmaceuticals or really anything at all. I love good movies, and he makes them. Many people are surprised when I tell them Rock of Ages is my favorite Tom Cruise movie — but think about it. I love musicals, I love Tom Cruise, and I love 80s rock. It’s the perfect blend. The cast performs all the songs, reworked for the movie, just as it should be. Cruise, Diego Luna, Julianne Hough (her voice is AMAZING), Mary J. Blige, and even Alec Baldwin totally bring it, and I can’t get enough! I want to give special mention to Catherine Zeta-Jones. Just, wow. She steals every scene she’s in, and her vocal work is no different. While Tom Cruise’s performance is my favorite, CZJ’s songs absolutely move the volume knob to the right. If you haven’t given Rock of Ages a chance because you’ve heard bad things, just listen to the soundtrack. If that doesn’t make you want to run to Rebel Replay and snag a copy, there’s nothing more I can do to help you.

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Whether you love soundtracks, hate them, or never think about them at all, their impact on movies and the stage is undeniable. What’s your favorite soundtrack and why? Let us know in the comments on your favorite social media channel.